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WHAT HAPPENED TO THE MELLOTRON???

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OPBASSMAN1994

Jul 30, 2010
2,177
43
#1
So I fell in love with the sound of the mellotron on "Watcher of the skies" by Genesis (from Foxtrot), and I thought I'd try to find one on ebay, craigslist, guitarcenter vintage, elderly, musicgoround, even some boutique piano shop site, just to see what one might cost, what a real one looks like (I've never seen one, which should have told me something anyway). NOTHING.

So here's my question:
How can one of the most talked about keyboard instruments of the sixties and seventies (and a mafia godfather of the modern synthesizer and sampler) just disappear?

Where did they go? Rick Wakeman or Tony Banks' house?
 
#2
This is just a theory, but given the limitations of the technology (I believe they used literal tape loops), synthesizers happened to them. As the synth became better sounding and more flexible, they became the far better choice. Cheaper, more portable, better sounding (except, I agree that the quirky sound of a mellotron brings back nostalgia), they were totally outclassed by the new technology.

Now for the opinion of someone who actually knows what they are talking about (hopefully)... :D

Edit: Pardon me, "Tape strips" http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mellotron
 
#5
Mellotrons are now on CD.

Mellotron

cd_label.jpg
 
#6
The Mellotron was made famous by the Moody Blues - long before Genesis formed. In many cases on Moody Blues recordings, what sounds like an orchestra is actually a Mellotron.

It did indeed use physical tape loops (a lot of them), and aligning the heads and preparing the instrument for use was a major task.

It was a wonderful sound - but it's not a device that you would want to intentionally take on today. Much too labor and maintenance intensive.

Read and learn:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mellotron
 
#9
Is that what 10cc used on *I'm not in love*?
Click to expand...

No. The backing vocal pad is heavily processed collective voices of 10cc members.

The Mellotron was very unreliable. Fortunately, its sounds can be digitally reproduced in a convicing manner. The best Mellotron samples I've heard and used are those in the Roland JV expansion board.

As for the most famous Melltron bits in music, I would nominate the intro flute sound of "Strawberry Fields Forever" and the Spanish guitar solo of "Continuing Story of Bungalow Bill".
 
#14
Pilgrim said:
It did indeed use physical tape loops (a lot of them), and aligning the heads and preparing the instrument for use was a major task.
Click to expand...
Tapes. yes, but loops, no

Each note on the keyboard had a multitrack tape eight seconds long weighted at one end, a pinch roller, and a playback head. A single capstan ran the length of the machine. Pressing a key engaged a pinch roller which pressed the tape against the capstan and playback head, and "stops" selected which tracks (instruments) played. Releasing the key lifted the pinch roller, releasing the tape, and the weight pulled it down so that the attack part of the note was back at the playback head.

But yes, maintenance was an issue, and they didn't travel well.
 
#16
I would think touring with a Mellotron would have just had to be hell. Those things had to weigh a ton, and then if you knocked anything out of alignment or one of the tapes broke or whatever.

Certainly would have been at least as much of a PITA to haul as a Hammond B3, with the reliability issues thrown in as a bonus.
 

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